i just found this new reconstructed pronunciation of sophocles, electra, 1126-1170, it's not in the main menu of the "rhapsodoi" site so i didn't know it existed until today...

if anyone hasn't listened to the rhythm of greek iambic trimeter before, this is definitely worth listening to. iambic tri's rhythm was considered "most similar to normal speaking" of all the poetry metres. the greek is really nice: a classic grieving scene from one of sophocles' tragedies.

[face=SPIonic]ei0sedeca&mhn[/face] [face=Arial]I have received[/face] [face=SPIonic]w!j s' a)p' e0lpi/dwn[/face] [face=Arial](how (far) from all hopes!)[/face] [face=SPIonic]ou0x w{sper[/face] [face=Arial]not the very thing which[/face] [face=SPIonic]e0ce/pempon[/face] [face=Arial]I sent (talking about Orestes: she sent him away a person, and got back ashes).[/face]

This piece really surprised me. It wasn't like I'd imagined. It's different to what I've learned as the [face=spionic]f[/face] and [face=spionic]q[/face] were pronounce like pi and tau. I find that somewhat strange... why is that? I thought the whole point of these letters was that they were the 'softer' versions of the pi and tau. I also imagined the x to be more guttural before consonants.

I just looked around the rest of the website... the Illiad was different from the reconstructions I've heared before at school, too. For one thing there weren't any long breaks between each vers, but maybe that was just because they were concentrating on the pronounciation .

It's different to what I've learned as the f and q were pronounce like pi and tau. I find that somewhat strange... why is that? I thought the whole point of these letters was that they were the 'softer' versions of the pi and tau. I also imagined the x to be more guttural before consonants.

hi em, i'm still not sure about exactly how the aspirate should be pronounced, at the back of the mouth near the throat or in the middle of the mouth... dionysius of halicarnassus in the loeb 'critical essays' vol 2 gives the best explanation:

pronounce these sounds in order: [face=SPIonic]b p f, d t q, g k x[/face]: in each of these series of 3 consonants, you gradually move the point where you pronounce these "inside" your mouth. but it doesn't explain where exactly you pronounce the aspirated consonants: it could be back as far as where you pronounce a french r, i'm not sure... so i think it's still open to interpretation; the reading of aspirated consonants in this recording is one possibility, but it could be softer as you say.